The present invention relates to high frequency electrical circuitry, and more particularly to a grounding method for use in such high frequency electrical circuitry to eliminate radiation caused by discontinuities in a ground path.
In high frequency electrical circuitry cracks or breaks in a ground path act as antennae that radiate energy at high frequencies. This energy is disruptive in high frequency signal applications. For electrical signals having frequencies in the high gigahertz range, such as 20-40 GHz and above, obvious grounding methods between circuit board ground planes and conductive housing walls using metallic contacts leave gaps between the ground planes and housing walls adjacent to the circuit boards, which gaps form antennae at high frequencies. These antennae radiate energy at resonant frequencies and harmonics thereof that are directly related to the dimensions of the gaps.
What is desired is to have a grounding method for use in high frequency electrical circuitry that eliminates cracks and breaks in a ground path between a circuit board and a housing that can act as antennae in order to eliminate radiation of spurious energy that could produce erroneous measurement of a high frequency input signal.